Draft appliance for railway-cars



H. C. B'UHOUP.

DRAFT APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY 'CARS.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 19, I920.

. Patented D00. 13, 1921.

a SHEETS-SHEET l; 26

Witness H. C. BUHOUP.

DRAFT APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY CARS. APPLICATION HLED JULY 19, I920.

1,400,210. Patnted Dec. 13,1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. 0. BUHOUP. DRAFT APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

. APPLFCATION FILED JULY 19,1920. 1,400,210, Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

'6 SHEETS-SHEET 3- l6 I I 3 vwento'p H. c. auuoun.

DRAFT APPLIANCE FOB RAILWAY GARS.' APPLICATION HLED JULY 19.1920.

1,4 o,v2i0, Patented 1m 13,1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

H'. c. BUHOUP. .DR'AFT APPLIANCE FOR RAI LWAY CARS.

APPLICATION HLED lULY19 1920- Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

GSHEETS-SHEET 5' 3 mwukov i; Cl thyme/q! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY C. BUHOUP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCCOMWAY & TORLEY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

Application filed July 19,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. BUHOUP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Ilhnois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft Appliances for Railway-Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to draft appliances for railway cars, and particularly to the type wherein the coupler head is pivotally mounted on the coupler stem and the latter is itself attached to the car in a manner permitting lateral swinging movement when the car is passing around a curve. The primary object of the invention is to afford a simple, compact and readily assembled mechanism in which both the pivoted coupler head and the swinging coupler stem are capable of extended pivotal movement and, after such movement, are efficiently returned to their normal or centralized positions.

Generally stated, the foregoing object is accomplished and certain advantages which willv hereinafter appear are attained by embodying in the mechanism a couplerhead having a rearwardly opening socket. provided with curved bearing shoulders, a coupler stem involving longitudinally extending arms provided with curved projections or trunnions which are adapted to be brought into assembled relation with the curved bearings of the coupler head by separating said arms after their forward ends have been introduced in the said socket, a plurality of spring means disposed on opposite sides of the coupler stem for centralizing the latter with respect to the car and for centralizing the coupler head with respect to the coupler stem, and a lever device interposed between the longitudinally extending arms of the coupler stem at the forward end thereof and extending between the oppositely disposed spring means, the lever device involving a pair of crossed levers which are rotatable in opposite directions by the coupler head and each of which is adapted to be independently actuated by an individual one of said springs to centralize the head with respect to the stem, and said spring m n e g non i id t y ad pt d Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921. 1920. Serial No. 397,235.

to be energized by lateral swinging movements of the stem.

In the drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the principle of my invent1on,

Figure l is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section of amechanism embodying the invention, the parts being in normal or centralized position and the forward end of the coupler head and the rear end of the draft yoke being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. l but showing the positions assumed by the parts when the coupler head rotates upon the coupler stem and the latter swings with respect to the car upon which it is mounted.

Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 4@L,

Fi 2. I Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line 5-5, *1

. ig. 6 .is a detail plan view of one of the pair of levers constituting the lever device for centralizing the coupler head with respect to the coupler stem.

Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of the lever shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. .8 is a View corresponding to Fig. 1 but omitting the draft yoke and illustrating a modified form of my invention wherein the headis centralized with respect to the coupler stem by means of a single lever, a portion of the coupler stem being broken away.

Fig. 9 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of the construction shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section of a form of my invention employing modified means for pivotally connecting the coupler head and stem and for pivotally connecting the coupler stem to the draft yoke.

Fig. 11 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevationof the devices illustrated in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a detail plan view of the removable hearing member forming a part of the construction shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

Fig. 13 is a detail vertical section of the bearing member illustrated in Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a detail view partly in side ele.

vation and partly in vertical section showing a modification of the means for plvotally connecting the coupler head and stem.

Fig. is a View partly in vertical section forward end of the coupler stem so as to swing upon a vertical axis, and the rear end of the coupler stem is pivotally connected to the draft yoke so that it may swlnglaterally to either side of its normal position in the longitudinal axis of the car. The coupler head 1 is formed with a rearwardly opening socket 1 which is adapted to'receive the forward end of the coupler stem 2 and also, as will hereinafter appear, a lever device for centralizing said head upon the coupler stem. Vithin the socket 4 the coupler head is provided with vertically spaced forwardly facing bearing shoulders 5 which are preferably curved cylindrically to cooperate with correspondingly curved trunnions 6 with which the coupler stem is provided at its forward end. As shown in the drawings, the coupler head 1 may also be provided with rearwardly facing shoulders 7 which are adapted to engage the forward faces of the respective trunnions 6 and transmit bufiing shocks to the same the said bearing shoulders 7 preferably being cylin drically curved to conform to the curvature of the trunnions and in conjunction with the forwardly facing bearings 5 constituting a complete cylinder. The upper and lower walls of the coupler head are preferably provided in the axis of rotation of the head upon the stem with alined cylindrical apertures 8 for receiving a pivot pin 9 which extends through the coupler stern and through the lever device by which the upper and lower arms or bars 10 of the stem are maintained in spaced relation at their forward ends, the trunnions 6 ofisaid arms thereby being retained in assembled relation to the coupler head 1.

The coupler stem 2 is formed with longitudinally extending rigid arms 10 each of which is fashioned at its forward end with a curved projection or trunnion 6, the said trunnions extending in opposite directions from the longitudinal axis of the stem and being adapted to enter a ,rearwardly opening socket 41 of the coupler head and respectively to engage and cooperate with the correspondingly curved bearingfaces 5 and 7 of said head when the parts'are assembled. The arms 10 of the stem, which arel rigid in order' that they may transmitbufiing shocks, are provided at their rear ends with means enabling themto be pivotally attached to the draft yoke 3. For this purpose each of the arms 10 may be provided at its rear end, upon the same'side as its trunnion 6, with a cylindrical projection or boss 11 which is suitably perforated to receive a downwardly removable vertically extending pivot pin 12 which also passes through correspondingly apertured pivot lugs 13, '13 and 1 1, respectively, upon the draft yoke. The centrally disposed lug 14: which is spaced vertically from the outer lugs 18 of the draft yoke projects between the rear ends of the arms 10 of the coupler stem and thus maintains the latter in separated or assembled relation. 7

The lever device by which the coupler head 1 is actuated to return it to centralized position is mounted in the forward end of the slot formed between the longitudinally extending arms 10 of the coupler stem. This lever device is preferably comprised of a plurality of similarly formed crossed levers 15 which are pivotally mounted upon the coupler stem through the instrumentality of the pivot pin 9 and each of which is adapted to rotate independently of the other with respect to the coupler head 1 as well as with respect to the coupler stem.

The forward end of each lever extends into the socket 4 of the coupler head and 1s provided with anopening116 to receive the pivot pin 9; Each ofthe levers 15 is also provided adjacent its forward end with a laterally extending lever arm 17, said lever arms being respectively adapted to engage shoulders 18 formed upon the rear end of the coupler head upon opposite sides of its axis of rotation with respect to the stem. The longer arms 19 of the levers 15 have longitudinally extending slots 20 through which passes the transversely extending rod 21 upon which the oppositely disposed springs 22 are mounted and by which said springs are guided. The forward portions of the levers 15 are in vertical alinement,

engage each other and are of sufficient width to maintain the arms 10 ofthe coupler stem in assembled relation to the coupler head, while theslotted lever arms 19'are disposed in horizontal alinement andare of sufficient vertical extent to afford a large wearing area in contact with the followers 23 which are slidably mounted on the guide rod 21 and are respectively interposed'between the levers 15 and their COIIGSPOIiCllDg springs 22. The relation of the lever arms 17 and 19 to each other and the relationship of the former to the shoulders 18 of the coupler head are preferably such that the arms 19 project slightly beyond the sides of the coupler stem 1 when the parts are 'innormal or centralized position as shown in Fig. 1, thus enabling the springs 22, acting through their respective followers23, to bear against the lever arms 19 of the lever device. By this means the coupler head '1 is yieldingly maintained in centralized position with respect to the coupler stem 2 without any lost motion and no detrimental lost motion is developed even after long service.

The guide rod 21 is preferably supported upon the carry iron 24 which, as is usual, is rigidly secured to the underframe of the car and by which the coupler is supported in a manner allowing it to reciprocate and also to swing laterally. To allow springs 22 of considerable length to be employed the carry iron is preferably formed with laterally extending spring pockets or hollow spring seats 25 which receive the respective springs, said spring pockets being perforated to permit the guide rod 21 to extend therethrough. Cotters 26 passing through the rod 21 outside of the spring pockets 25 may be conveniently employed to keep the rod in assembled position.

lVith the exception of the lever device for centering the coupler head'with respect to the coupler stem, the modified form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 is the same in construction as the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, and heretofore described. Accordingly the identical features of construction in both forms of the invention have been indicated on the drawings by corresponding reference characters. The lever device employed in this form of my invention is constructed as a unitary member 27 instead of being comprised of a plurality of independently movable levers 15. This lever 27 has at is forward end oppositely extending lever arms 28 which engage the corresponding shoulders 18 of the coupler head, and it is provided with a rearwardly extending lever arm 29 which projects between the followers 23 and is formed with a longitudinal slot 30 through which the guide rod 21 extends. The forward end of the lever device 27 projects into the socket 4 of the coupler head and is pivotally connected to the coupler stem 2 and retained in assembled position by means of the vertically extending pivot pin 9. The forward end of the member 27 and preferably the rear end also, is made thick enough to fill the slot formed between the longitudinally extending arms 10 of the coupler stem so as to maintain the trunnions 6 at the forward ends of said arms in. engagement with the bearing faces or shoulders 5 and 7 of the coupler head. The construction shown in Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 employs a lever device comprising a plurality of crossed levers 15 corresponding in form and function to those illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, and designed to co operate with spring and follower devices of the character heretofore described; but in this form of my invention the coupler stem 31 is shown as being pivotally connect-ed to the coupler head 32 and to the draft yoke 33 in a. different manner. In this embodiment of the invention the slot 34 at the forward end of the coupler, stem for receiving the levers 15 is not formed between relatively movable bars (as in the constructions heretofore described), but the stem is fashioned as an integral member having a bifurcated forward end affording a slot of sufiicient length to accommodate the levers 15 which are pivotally connected to said stem and head by means of a vertically extending pivot pin 35. The coupler stem 31 has at its forward end oppositely disposed cylindrical trunnions 6 which cooperate with' correspondingly curved bearing shoulders 5 and 7 of the coupler head. The rear end of the coupler stem 31 likewise has formed upon it oppositely extending cylindrical trunnions 36 which are adapted to engage similarly curved bearing shoulders 37, 38 and 39, respectively, with which the draft yoke 33 is provided. The curved bearing face 38 is formed upon a bearing member 40 which is adapted to be inserted in and removed from the hooded end of the yoke through the forward opening therein, while the curved bearing shoulder 37 is preferably an integral part of the yoke. The detachable bearing member 40 has a rearwardly extending portion 41 which projects under the lower trunnion 36 and thereby supports the rear end of the coupler stem 31 in an elevated position causing the upper trunnion 36 cooperatively to engage the rearwardly facing curved bearing shoulder 37 of the yoke 33. The bearing member 41-0 is retained in operative position by a transverse key or bar 42 which extends through suitable apertures in the lower portion of the hooded forward end of the yoke. As a convenient means for preventing accidental disassembly of the key 42 it is preferred to employ a latch bar 4.3 which is journaled in the member 42 and provided with bent ends 13 which, when the parts are in assembled position, han downwardly under the influence of gravity and by overlapping the side walls of the yoke 33 prevent displacement of the key 42. The means for pivotally connecting the coupler head 32 to the forward end of the coupler stem 31 are substantially the same as the means for detachably connecting the coupler stem to the draft yoke 33; that is to say, the curved bearing shoulder 5 for engaging the lower trunnion 6 is formed upon a member 4:4: which may be inserted into and removed from the rearwardly opening socket in the coupler head 32. This removable bearing member 14: is provided with a forwardly extending shelf 45 which normally is posi tioned beneath the lower trunnion 6 and upon which the latter rests, the upper trunnion 6 thereby being maintained in. (were;

tive relation to the bearing shoulders 5'and 7 of the coupler head. The bearing member 44 is secured in position by a key 16 extending transversely through suitable apertures in the coupler head 32, and said key is preferably retained in posit-ion by a latch bar 17 corresponding in form and function to the latch bar 13 by which displacement of the key 42 is prevented.

Another mode of forming a suitable pivot-al connection between the coupler head and the coupler stem is illustrated in Fig. 14. In this construction the vertically spaced arms 81 at the forward end of the coupler stem are unprovided with trunnions but are connected to the coupler head 18 by a vertically extending downwardly removable pivot pin 4:9 which also passes through and pivotally connects the crossed levers 50 by which the coupler head is centered. The levers 50 correspond in form and function to the crossed levers 15 shown in the principal figures of the drawings, the sole difference being that the pivot pin openings in the former are larger than in the latter.

Fig; 15 illustrates a form of the invention which is identically like that shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, with the exception that the longitudinally extending bars 51 of the coupler stem are provided at their rear ends with oppositely disposed cylindrical trunnions 52 which enter the forwardly opening hollow hood 55 of the draft yoke 56. These trunnions are adapted to be retained in assembled relation to suitably formed integrally united bearing shoulders, 52, 53 and 541, respectively, within the hooded portion 55 of the draft yoke 56 by means of a filler member 57 which is engagingly interposed between the independent separable arms 51 of the coupler stem so as to retain said arms in spaced or assembled relation at their rear ends. The member 57 may be held in place by a pin 58 which passes through it and through the arms 51 of the stem.

The mode of operation of the mechanism in centering the coupler head and coupler stem after they have been displaced'laterally from their normal positions in the longitudinal axis of the car, will readily be understood from a consideration of Figs. 1 and 3. The swinging movement of the coupler stem 2 causes a compression of one of the springs 22 which, upon subsequent expansion, causes the coupler stem to be restored to centralized position. The restoration of the coupler head 1 to its normal position after it has executed a pivotal movement with respect to the stem in the same direction as the swinging movement performed by the latter, is accomplished by the spring 22 disposed upon the opposite side of the coupler stem from the spring which returns said stem to normal position. When the coupler stem and coupler head rotate toward the other side of the car the functions of the springs 22 are interchanged, that is to say, the spring which before caused the centralization of the coupler stem operates to centralize the head with respect to the stem and vice versa. The operations of centering the coupler stem with respect to the car and of centralizing the head with respect to the stem occur simultaneously.

When the car to which the mechanism is applied passes from curved to straight track, the spring 22 which has been ener gized by the coupler stem 2 expands and causes its follower 23 to press against the side ofv the coupler stem until the latter assumes its normal position in the longitudinal axis of the car. Coincidently with the movement of the coupler stem to centralized position the oppositely disposed spring 22, acting through its follower 23, presses against the long arm 19 of the adjacent lever 15 and causes the latter to rotate relatively to the coupler stem. By reason of the engagement of the short arm 17 of this lever 15 with the cooperating shoulder 13 upon the coupler head 1 the coupler head executes a corresponding rotation relative to the coupler stem and reassumes its normal position as shown in Fig. 1. V

The centering operation of the modified forms of construction illustrated in Figs. 10, 11, 1 1 and 15 is precisely the same as that of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. The operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is similar to that heretofore described except that the unitary lever 27 noncoincidently cooperates with both springs 22 in functioning to restore the coupler head 1 to centralized position upon the coupler stem. It will be perceived by those skilled in the art that my invention has in a high degree the advantages of simplicity of construction and ease of assembly and disassembly for the purpose of making repairs, and that it makes it possible for the coupler head and coupler stem to have a wide range of swinging movements.

I claim 1. In a draft appliance for railway cars, the combination with a coupler head having a rearwardly opening socket, of a coupler stem extending into said socket and pivotally connected to said head, said stem being adapted to be pivotallv connected to a railway car and being provided with vertically spaced arm's forming a slot open through opposite sides from the forward end of said stem rearwardly, a plurality of oppositely disposed spring means for centralizingsaid coupler stem with respect to said car and for centralizing said coupler head with re 130 spect to said stem, a lever device disposed between said arms and adapted to extend into said socket and between said oppositely dis posed sprin means and to shift laterally so as to emerge from aid slot when the coupler head is rotated with respect to said stem, and means for securing said lever devi e in said socket, said spring means being adapted noncoincidently to be energized by lateral swinging movements of said stem and being adapted noncoincidently to actuate said lever device to centralize said head with respect to said stem.

2. In a draft appliance for railway cars, the combination with a coupler head having a rearwardly opening socket provided with curved vertically spaced forwardly facing bearing shoulders, of a coupler stem provided with vertically spaced arms having curved projections at their forward ends adapted respectively to engage the said forwardly facing bearing shoulders of said yoke to thereby pivotally connect said head and stem, and means for normally centralizing said head with respect to said stem, said means involving a device interposed between said arms and maintaining the latter in as sembled relation to said head.

3. In a draft appliance for railway cars, the combination with a coupler head having a rearwardly opening socket provided with curved vertically spaced forwardly facing bearing shoulders, of a coupler stein involving longitudinally extendingrigid arms having curved projections at their forward ends adapted to enter said socket respectively to engage the bearing shoulders of said head to thereby pivotally connect said head and stem, said arms being adapted to be moved toward each other to disengage said projec tions from said bearing shoulders, and means interposed between said arms for maintaining them in assembled position.

4. In a draft appliance for railway cars, the combination with a coupler stem, of a draft member pivotally connected thereto, said draft member being provided with vertically spaced curved bearing shoulders and said stem having longitudinally extending rigid arms provided with curved projections adapted respectively to engage th said hearing shoulders to thereby pivotally connect said stem and draft member, said arms being movable toward each other to disen 'age said projections from said bearing shoulders, and means interposed between said arms for maintaining the latter in assembled position 5. In a draft appliance for railway cars, the combination with a coupler head, of a coupler stem pivotally connected thereto, said stem being provided with vertically spaced arms adapted to be pivctally con nected at their forward ends to said coupler head, and means for normally centralizing said head with respect to said stem, said s between means involving a pivoted lever interposed said arms and detachably connected to and engaging and adapted to be rotated by said. coupler head.

6. In a draft appliance for railway cars, the combination with a coupler head, of a coupler stem pivotally connected thereto,

a plurality of oppositely disposed spring means adapted noncoincidently to centralize said head with respect to said stem, and a lever de ce operativel interposed between said he a d said spring means, said lever device g ivotally connected to said stem and being pvided with an arm extending between oppositely disposed spring means and also being provided with an arm having shouldered engagement with said head.

7. In a draft appliance for railway cars, the combination with a coupler head, of a coupler stem pivotally connected thereto, a adapted to be pivotally connected to a car, a plurality of springs disposed on opposite sides of said stem and adapted to be energized by lateral movements of said stem, and lever device adapted to be actuated by said springs to centralize said head with respect to said stem, said lever device extending between s l l springs and being pivotally movable witn respect to said stem and having a plurality lever arms adapted to have shouldered engagement with said coupler head on opposite sides of the longitudi nal axis said stem.

0 a "t appliance for railway cars, bination with a coupler head 'dly opening socket provided with cuncd vertically spaced forwardly facing l g shoulders, of a yoke having curved vertically spaced rearwardly facing bearing shoulders, and a coupler stem interposed between and pivotally connected to said head yoke, said stem involving a plurality of J arms having curved projections at each end, th said projections at the forward ends of said being adapted respectively to engage the bearing shoulders of said head to thereby pivotally connect said head and l the said projections at the stem, and rear ends of said arms being adapted respectively to engage the bearing shoulders of said yolre to thereby pivotally connect said stem and yoke and said arms being adapted to be moved toward each other to disengage ctions from said bearing shoulrs, and said stem also involving means inposed between said arms for maintaining said projections in assembled relation to said bearing shoulders of said head and yoke,

9. In a draft appliance for railway cars, the combination with a coupler head, of a coupler stem pivotally connected to said head and adapted to be pivotally connected to a car, a plurality of oppositely disposed by said springs to centralize said :head with respect to said stem, said lever device comprising a plurality of levers pivotally movable with respect to said stem and extending between said springs and each adapted to be moved by said head and by an independent one of said springs.

10. In a draft appliance for railway cars,

the combination with a coupler head, of acoupier stem pivotally connected to said head, a rotatable lever device connected to said head and stem and comprising a pair of levers which are rotatable in opposite directions by said head, and a plurality of springs. for actuating said lever device to centralize said head with respect to said stem, said levers being interposed between said springs and each being independently actuated by a different one of said springs.

11. In a draft appliance for railway cars, the combination with a coupler h ead, of a coupler stem pivotally connected to said head, a lever device pivotally connected to said stem and adapted to rotate said head with respect to said stem, and a plurality of springs for actuating said lever device to centralize said head with respect to said stem, said lever device comprising a pair of crossed levers which extend between said springs and each of which is adapted to be actuated by an individual one of said springs.

12. In a draft appliance for railway cars, the combination with a coupler head, of a coupler stem pivotally connected thereto and adapted to be pivotally connected to a car, a plurality of springs arranged on opposite sides of said stem and adapted to be energized by lateral movements of said a stem, a lever device adapted to actuate said head to centralize it with respect to said stem, said lever device being pivotally connected to said stem and comprisingapair of,

crossed levers havingslotted arms extending said head with respect to said stem, said lever device comprising a pair of crossed levers having slotted arms extending between said followers, and a rod extending through said springs and followers and slotted arms; if

14. In a draft appliance for railway cars, the co-mbinationwith ,a coupler head, of a coupler stem .pivotally connected to said head and adapted to be pivotally connected to a car, aplurality of springs disposed on opposite sides of said stem and adapted to be energized by lateralmovements of said stem, f ollowers engaging said coupler. stem and respectively interposed between said stem and saidsprings, andja lever device pivotally movable with respect to said stem andadaptedto rotate said head with respect to said s tem, said lever cevice being adapted to v centralize said head with respect to said stem and also constituting ineans for. displacingsaid followers from engagement with-said stem.

lnt'estim v ef ef I e fi m Signature HARRY c. BUHOUP. 

